Cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and thereby presenting increasing challenges in accurately detecting intrusions.Failure to prevent the intrusions could degrade the credibility of security services,e.g.da...Cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and thereby presenting increasing challenges in accurately detecting intrusions.Failure to prevent the intrusions could degrade the credibility of security services,e.g.data confidentiality,integrity,and availability.Numerous intrusion detection methods have been proposed in the literature to tackle computer security threats,which can be broadly classified into Signature-based Intrusion Detection Systems(SIDS)and Anomaly-based Intrusion Detection Systems(AIDS).This survey paper presents a taxonomy of contemporary IDS,a comprehensive review of notable recent works,and an overview of the datasets commonly used for evaluation purposes.It also presents evasion techniques used by attackers to avoid detection and discusses future research challenges to counter such techniques so as to make computer systems more secure.展开更多
Environmental pollution affects the quality of pedosphere,hydrosphere,atmosphere,lithosphere and biosphere.Great efforts have been made in the last two decades to reduce pollution sources and remedy the polluted soil ...Environmental pollution affects the quality of pedosphere,hydrosphere,atmosphere,lithosphere and biosphere.Great efforts have been made in the last two decades to reduce pollution sources and remedy the polluted soil and water resources.Phytoremediation,being more cost-effective and fewer side effects than physical and chemical approaches,has gained increasing popularity in both academic and practical circles.More than 400 plant species have been identified to have potential for soil and water remediation.Among them,Thlaspi,Brassica,Sedum alfredii H.,and Arabidopsis species have been mostly studied.It is also expected that recent advances in biotechnology will play a promising role in the development of new hyperaccumulators by transferring metal hyperaccumulating genes from low biomass wild species to the higher biomass producing cultivated species in the times to come.This paper attempted to provide a brief review on recent progresses in research and practical applications of phytoremediation for soil and water resources.展开更多
Loofa sponge （LS） immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana （LSIBCS）, isolated from industrial wastewater, was investigated as a new biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from aqueous solution. A comparison of...Loofa sponge （LS） immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana （LSIBCS）, isolated from industrial wastewater, was investigated as a new biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from aqueous solution. A comparison of the biosorption of Cr（Ⅲ） by LSIBCS and free biomass of C. sorokiniana （FBCS） from 10-300 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/L aqueous solutions showed an increase in uptake of 17.79% when the microalgal biomass was immobilized onto loofa sponge. Maximum biosorption capacity for LSIBCS and FBCS was found to be 69.26 and 58.80 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/g biosorbent, respectively, whereas the amount of Cr（Ⅲ） ions adsorbed onto naked LS was 4.97 mg/g. The kinetics of Cr（Ⅲ） biosorption was extremely rapid and equilibrium was established in about 15 and 20 min by LSIBCS and FBCS, respectively. The biosorption equilibrium was well defined by Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The biosorption was found to be pH dependent and the maximum sorption occurred at the solution pH 4.0. Desorption studies showed that 98% of the adsorbed Cr（Ⅲ） could be desorbed with 0.1 mol/L HNO3, while other desorbing agents were less effective in the order： EDTA 〉 H2SO4 〉 CH3COOH 〉 HCl. The regenerated LSIBCS retained 92.68% of the initial Cr（Ⅲ） binding capacity up to five cycles of reuse in continuous flow-fixed bed columns. The study revealed that LSIBCS could be used as an effective biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from wastewater.展开更多
AIM： To assess the efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii （S. boulardii） in acute watery diarrhoea and its role in reducing the frequency of episodes of diarrhoea in subsequent two months. METHODS： Childre...AIM： To assess the efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii （S. boulardii） in acute watery diarrhoea and its role in reducing the frequency of episodes of diarrhoea in subsequent two months. METHODS： Children from 2 mo to 12 years of age, with acute diarrhoea were selected according to inclusion criteria and randomised in S. boulardii group （treated with ORS, nutritional support and S. boulardii, 250 mg bid） and in control group （treated with ORS and nutritional support only）. Active treatment phase was 5 d and each child was followed for two months afterwards. Frequency and consistency of stools as well as safety of drug was assessed on every visit. A comparison of two groups was done in terms of number of diarrhoeal episode in subsequent two months. RESULTS： There were fifty patients in each group. Baseline characteristics such as mean age and the average frequency of stools were comparable in S. boulardii and control group at the time of inclusion in the trial. By d 3 it reduced to 2.7 and 4.2 stools per d respectively and by d 6 it reduced to 1.6 （5. boulardii Group） and 3.3 （control group）. The duration of diarrhoea was 3.6 d in S. boulardii group whereas it was 4.8 d in control group （P = 0.001）. In the following two months, S. boulardii group had a significantly lower frequency of 0.54 episodes as compared to 1.08 episodes in control group. The drug was well accepted and tolerated. There were no reports of the side effects during treatment period CONCLUSION： S. boulardii significantly reduces the frequency and duration of acute diarrhoea. The consistency of stool also improves. The drug is well-tolerated.展开更多
Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that enters the environment through various anthropogenic sources, and inhibits plant growth and development. Cadmium toxicity may result from disturbance in plant metabolism as a c...Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that enters the environment through various anthropogenic sources, and inhibits plant growth and development. Cadmium toxicity may result from disturbance in plant metabolism as a consequence of disturbance in the uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients. Plant nutrients and Cd compete for the same transporters and, therefore, presence of Cd results in mineral nutrients deficiency. The optimization of mineral nutrients under Cd stress could reduce Cd toxicity by greater availability at the transport site resulting in reduced accumulation of Cd, and could also alleviate Cd-induced toxic effects by enhancing biochemical reactions and physiological processes in plants. In the present review the role of plant macro, micro and beneficial elements in alleviating Cd stress in crop plants is discussed.展开更多
Bailongjiang watershed in southern Gansu province, China, is one of the most landslide-prone regions in China, characterized by very high frequency of landslide occurrence. In order to predict the landslide occurrence...Bailongjiang watershed in southern Gansu province, China, is one of the most landslide-prone regions in China, characterized by very high frequency of landslide occurrence. In order to predict the landslide occurrence, a comprehensive map of landslide susceptibility is required which may be significantly helpful in reducing loss of property and human life. In this study, an integrated model of information value method and logistic regression is proposed by using their merits at maximum and overcoming their weaknesses, which may enhance precision and accuracy of landslide susceptibility assessment. A detailed and reliable landslide inventory with 1587 landslides was prepared and randomly divided into two groups,(i) training dataset and(ii) testing dataset. Eight distinct landslide conditioning factors including lithology, slope gradient, aspect, elevation, distance to drainages,distance to faults, distance to roads and vegetation coverage were selected for landslide susceptibility mapping. The produced landslide susceptibility maps were validated by the success rate and prediction rate curves. The validation results show that the success rate and the prediction rate of the integrated model are 81.7 % and 84.6 %, respectively, which indicate that the proposed integrated method is reliable to produce an accurate landslide susceptibility map and the results may be used for landslides management and mitigation.展开更多
This work is focused on developing zinc-doped hydroxyapatite-zeolite(Zn HA-Zeo)and polycaprolactone(PCL)composite coatings on magnesium(Mg)substrate to improve the corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.Dip...This work is focused on developing zinc-doped hydroxyapatite-zeolite(Zn HA-Zeo)and polycaprolactone(PCL)composite coatings on magnesium(Mg)substrate to improve the corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.Dip-coating technique was used to coat Zn HA-Zeo/PCL on the Mg substrate at room temperature.The samples were subjected to field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX)and antimicrobial potential.Results demonstrated that composite coatings consist of HA,scholzite,zeolite,and PCL phases.EDX spectra indicated the presence of calcium(Ca),silicon(Si),aluminum(Al),zinc(Zn),phosphorus(P)and oxygen(O).The composite surface appeared in spherical-like microstructure on coating with thickness ranging 226-260μm.Zinc-doped HA-Zeo composite coating had a high corrosion resistance and provided sufficient protection to the Mg surface against galvanic corrosion.Doped Zn HA-Zeo coating samples exhibited superior disc inhibition by confirming antimicrobial activity against the E.coli as compared to HA-Zeo sample.Altogether these results showed that the Zn HA-Zeo coatings not only improved the corrosion resistance,but also enhanced the antimicrobial property and hence they can be used as suitable candidates for implant applications.展开更多
Prunus mume Sieb.et Zucc.,P.armeniaca L.,and P.salicina L.are economically important fruit trees in temperate regions.These species are taxonomically perplexing because of shared interspecific morphological traits and...Prunus mume Sieb.et Zucc.,P.armeniaca L.,and P.salicina L.are economically important fruit trees in temperate regions.These species are taxonomically perplexing because of shared interspecific morphological traits and variation,which are mainly attributed to hybridization.The chloroplast is cytoplasmically inherited and often used for evolutionary studies.We sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of P.mume,P.armeniaca,and P.salicina using Illumina sequencing followed by de novo assembly.The three chloroplast genomes exhibit a typical quadripartite structure with conserved genome arrangement,structure,and moderate divergence.The lengths of the genomes are 157,815,157,797,and 157,916 bp,respectively.The length of the large single-copy region(LSC)region is 86,113,86,283,and 86,122 bp,and the length of the SSC region is 18,916,18,734,and 19,028 bp;the IR region is 26,393,26,390,and 26,383 bp,respectively.Each of the three chloroplast genomes encodes 133 genes,including 94 protein-coding,31 tRNA,and eight rRNA genes.Differential gene analysis for the three species revealed that trnY-ATA is a unique gene in P.armeniaca;in contrast,the gene trnI-TAT is only present in P.mume and P.salicina,though the position of the gene in these chloroplast genomes differs.Further comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast genome sequences revealed that the ORF genes and the sequences of linked regions rps16 and atpA,atpH and atpI,trnc-GCA and psbD,ycf3 and atpB,and rpL32 and ndhD are significantly different and may be used as molecular markers in taxonomic studies.Phylogenetic evolution analysis of the three species suggests that P.mume has a closer genetic relationship to P.armeniaca than to P.salicina.展开更多
Semi-intensive free-range farm systems are common in Australia, and these systems frequently practise on-range feeding. The objective of this study was to investigate the benefit of on-range choice feeding on flock pe...Semi-intensive free-range farm systems are common in Australia, and these systems frequently practise on-range feeding. The objective of this study was to investigate the benefit of on-range choice feeding on flock performance, egg quality, and range use of free-range laying hens using black soldier fly larvae(Hermetia illucens, BSF). A total of 160 mature ISA brown laying hens, previously determined to range daily, were allocated to a control group(control) or a treatment group(BSF) with various replicates depending on the parameter investigated. All hens were fed ad libitum indoors with a wheat-soy based diet formulated according to breed requirements. Black soldier fly hens were offered dried BSF larvae ad libitum on the range. Body weight, feed intake, BSF intake, egg production, feed conversion ratio, internal and external egg quality parameters, and individual range use using radio-frequency identification(RFID)technology was evaluated. Black soldier fly hens consumed on average 15 ± 1.7 g BSF larvae/hen per day.There were no differences between BSF and control hens for any of the performance parameters obtained(P > 0.05). Egg weight, shell weight, and shell thickness of eggs from BSF hens were significantly lower(P = 0.003, P = 0.001, and P = 0.004, respectively) than those of eggs from control hens. Egg yolk colour was significantly paler in eggs from BSF hens(P < 0.001). No significant ranging differences between the BSF and control hens were observed(P > 0.05) except for BSF hens showing longer total maximum time for a single visit to the range(P = 0.011). In conclusion, the average intake of BSF larvae indicated a good level of acceptance. Feed formulation should be adjusted for the intake of the choice fed source. The impact of choice-feeding on range use was minor.展开更多
AIM:To investigate whether the iron stores regulator hepcidin is implicated in colon cancer-associated anae- mia and whether it might have a role in colorectal car- cinogenesis. METHODS: Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF M...AIM:To investigate whether the iron stores regulator hepcidin is implicated in colon cancer-associated anae- mia and whether it might have a role in colorectal car- cinogenesis. METHODS: Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS and SELDI-TOF MS) was employed to measure hepcidin in urine collected from 56 patients with colorectal cancer. Quantitative Real Time RT-PCR was utilised to determine hepcidin mRNA expression in colorectal cancer tissue. Hepcidin cellular localisation was determined using im- munohistochemistry. RESULTS: We demonstrate that whilst urinary hepcidin expression was not correlated with anaemia it was posi- tively associated with increasing T-stage of colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we report that hepcidin mRNA is expressed in 34% of colorectal cancer tissue specimens and was correlated with ferroportin repres- sion. This was supported by hepcidin immunoreactivity in colorectal cancer tissue. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that systemic hepcidin expression is unlikely to be the cause of the systemic anaemia associated with colorectal cancer. However, we demonstrate for the first time that hepcidin is expressed by colorectal cancer tissue and that this may represent a novel oncogenic signalling mechanism.展开更多
The formation and dissociation of methane gas hydrate at an interface between synthetic seawater （SSW） and methane gas have been experimentally investigated in the present work. The amount of gas consumed during hyd...The formation and dissociation of methane gas hydrate at an interface between synthetic seawater （SSW） and methane gas have been experimentally investigated in the present work. The amount of gas consumed during hydrate formation has been calculated using the real gas equation. Induction time for the formation of hydrate is found to depend on the degree of subcooling. All the experiments were conducted in quiescent system with initial cell pressure of 11.14 MPa. Salinity effects on the onset pressure and temperature of hydrate formation are also observed. The dissociation enthalpies of methane hydrate in synthetic seawater were determined by Clausius-Clapeyron equation based on the measured phase equilibrium data. The dissociation data have been analyzed by existing models and compared with the reported data.展开更多
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic mani-festation of metabolic syndrome. The spread of obesity worldwide in pandemic proportions has led to a rapid rise of NAFLD in developed and developing countrie...Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic mani-festation of metabolic syndrome. The spread of obesity worldwide in pandemic proportions has led to a rapid rise of NAFLD in developed and developing countries alike. There are no approved pharmacological agents to treat steatohepatitis or advanced fibrosis but obeticholic acid recently has shown some promise in phase III trial. Currently, NAFLD is the number one etiology for simultaneous liver and kidney trans-plantation in the USA, second most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) and projected to become number one very soon. LT for NAFLD poses unique challenges, as these patients are generally older, obese and more likely to have a number of metabolic risk factors. Bariatric surgery is an option and can be considered if a structured weight loss program does not achieve the sustained weight loss goal. Comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment and aggres-sive management of comorbid conditions are crucial in the LT evaluation process to improve post-transplant survival. Re-current nonalcoholic steatohepatitis after LT is not uncom-mon, and thus warrants primary and secondary prevention strategies through a multidisciplinary approach. Prevalence of NAFLD in a donor population is a unique and growing concern that limits the access to quality liver grafts.展开更多
Vaccines require optimal adjuvants including immunopotentiator and delivery systems to offer long term protection from infectious diseases in animals and man. Initially it was believed that adjuvants are responsible f...Vaccines require optimal adjuvants including immunopotentiator and delivery systems to offer long term protection from infectious diseases in animals and man. Initially it was believed that adjuvants are responsible for promoting strong and sustainable antibody responses. Now it has been shown that adjuvants influence the isotype and avidity of antibody and also affect the properties of cell-mediated immunity. Mostly oil emulsions, lipopolysaccharides, polymers, saponins, liposomes, cytokines, ISCOMs (immunostimulating complexes), Freund’s complete adjuvant, Freund’s incomplete adjuvant, alums, bacterial toxins etc., are common adjuvants under investigation. Saponin based adjuvants have the ability to stimulate the cell mediated immune system as well as to enhance antibody production and have the advantage that only a low dose is needed for adjuvant activity. In the present study the importance of adjuvants, their role and the effect of saponin in immune system is reviewed.展开更多
Objective:To detect the in vitro total phenolics,flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of essential oil,various organic extracts from the leaves of tropical medicinal plant Tetrastigma from Sabah.Methods:The dr...Objective:To detect the in vitro total phenolics,flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of essential oil,various organic extracts from the leaves of tropical medicinal plant Tetrastigma from Sabah.Methods:The dry powder leaves of Tetrastigma were extracted with different organic solvent such as hexane.ethyl acetate,chloroform,butanol and aqueous methanol.The total phenolic and total flavonoids contents of the essential oil and various organic extracts such as hexane,ethyl acetate,chloroform,butanol and aqueous ethanol were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method and the assayed antioxidant activity was determined in vitro models such as antioxidant capacity by radical scavenging activity usingα,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method.Results:The total phenolic contents of the essential oil and different extracts as gallic acid equivalents were found to be highest in methanol extract(386.22 mg/g) followed by ethyl acetate(190.89 mg/g).chloroform(175.89 mg/g).hexane(173.44 mg/g).and Imtanol extract (131.72 mg/g) and the phenolic contents not detected in essential oil.The antioxidant capacity of the essential oil and different extracts as ascorbic acid standard was in the order of methanol extract】ethyl acetate extract】chloroform】butanol】hexane extract also the antioxidant activity was not detected in essential oil.Conclusions:The findings show that the extent of antioxidant activity of the essential oil and all extracts are in accordance with the amount of phenolics present in that extract.Leaves of Tetrastigma being rich in phenolics may provide a good source of antioxidant.展开更多
A high-energy-density Li-ion battery with excellent rate capability and long cycle life was fabricated with a Ni-rich layered LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 cathode and Si O-C composite anode. The LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_...A high-energy-density Li-ion battery with excellent rate capability and long cycle life was fabricated with a Ni-rich layered LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 cathode and Si O-C composite anode. The LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 and Si O-C exhibited excellent electrochemical performance in both half and full cells. Specifically, when integrated into a full cell configuration, a high energy density(280 Wh·kg^(-1)) with excellent rate capability and long cycle life was attained. At 0.5 C, the full cell retained 80% of its initial capacity after 200 charge/discharge cycles, and 60% after 600 cycles, indicating robust structural tolerance for the repeated insertion/extraction of Li^+ ions. The rate performance showed that, at high rate of 1 C and 2 C, 96.8% and 93% of the initial capacity were retained, respectively. The results demonstrate strong potential for the development of high energy density Li-ion batteries for practical applications.展开更多
文摘Cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and thereby presenting increasing challenges in accurately detecting intrusions.Failure to prevent the intrusions could degrade the credibility of security services,e.g.data confidentiality,integrity,and availability.Numerous intrusion detection methods have been proposed in the literature to tackle computer security threats,which can be broadly classified into Signature-based Intrusion Detection Systems(SIDS)and Anomaly-based Intrusion Detection Systems(AIDS).This survey paper presents a taxonomy of contemporary IDS,a comprehensive review of notable recent works,and an overview of the datasets commonly used for evaluation purposes.It also presents evasion techniques used by attackers to avoid detection and discusses future research challenges to counter such techniques so as to make computer systems more secure.
基金Project supported by the Higher Education Commission,Government of Pakistan for the faculty training under the R & D Project"Strengthening Department of Soil Science and Soil and Water Conservation" at the University of Florida,USA,a grant from the St. Lucie River Water Initiative (SFWMD contract No. OT060162),USA,in partthe Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (No.IRT0536),China
文摘Environmental pollution affects the quality of pedosphere,hydrosphere,atmosphere,lithosphere and biosphere.Great efforts have been made in the last two decades to reduce pollution sources and remedy the polluted soil and water resources.Phytoremediation,being more cost-effective and fewer side effects than physical and chemical approaches,has gained increasing popularity in both academic and practical circles.More than 400 plant species have been identified to have potential for soil and water remediation.Among them,Thlaspi,Brassica,Sedum alfredii H.,and Arabidopsis species have been mostly studied.It is also expected that recent advances in biotechnology will play a promising role in the development of new hyperaccumulators by transferring metal hyperaccumulating genes from low biomass wild species to the higher biomass producing cultivated species in the times to come.This paper attempted to provide a brief review on recent progresses in research and practical applications of phytoremediation for soil and water resources.
文摘Loofa sponge （LS） immobilized biomass of Chlorella sorokiniana （LSIBCS）, isolated from industrial wastewater, was investigated as a new biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from aqueous solution. A comparison of the biosorption of Cr（Ⅲ） by LSIBCS and free biomass of C. sorokiniana （FBCS） from 10-300 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/L aqueous solutions showed an increase in uptake of 17.79% when the microalgal biomass was immobilized onto loofa sponge. Maximum biosorption capacity for LSIBCS and FBCS was found to be 69.26 and 58.80 mg Cr（Ⅲ）/g biosorbent, respectively, whereas the amount of Cr（Ⅲ） ions adsorbed onto naked LS was 4.97 mg/g. The kinetics of Cr（Ⅲ） biosorption was extremely rapid and equilibrium was established in about 15 and 20 min by LSIBCS and FBCS, respectively. The biosorption equilibrium was well defined by Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The biosorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The biosorption was found to be pH dependent and the maximum sorption occurred at the solution pH 4.0. Desorption studies showed that 98% of the adsorbed Cr（Ⅲ） could be desorbed with 0.1 mol/L HNO3, while other desorbing agents were less effective in the order： EDTA 〉 H2SO4 〉 CH3COOH 〉 HCl. The regenerated LSIBCS retained 92.68% of the initial Cr（Ⅲ） binding capacity up to five cycles of reuse in continuous flow-fixed bed columns. The study revealed that LSIBCS could be used as an effective biosorbent for the removal of Cr（Ⅲ） from wastewater.
文摘AIM： To assess the efficacy and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii （S. boulardii） in acute watery diarrhoea and its role in reducing the frequency of episodes of diarrhoea in subsequent two months. METHODS： Children from 2 mo to 12 years of age, with acute diarrhoea were selected according to inclusion criteria and randomised in S. boulardii group （treated with ORS, nutritional support and S. boulardii, 250 mg bid） and in control group （treated with ORS and nutritional support only）. Active treatment phase was 5 d and each child was followed for two months afterwards. Frequency and consistency of stools as well as safety of drug was assessed on every visit. A comparison of two groups was done in terms of number of diarrhoeal episode in subsequent two months. RESULTS： There were fifty patients in each group. Baseline characteristics such as mean age and the average frequency of stools were comparable in S. boulardii and control group at the time of inclusion in the trial. By d 3 it reduced to 2.7 and 4.2 stools per d respectively and by d 6 it reduced to 1.6 （5. boulardii Group） and 3.3 （control group）. The duration of diarrhoea was 3.6 d in S. boulardii group whereas it was 4.8 d in control group （P = 0.001）. In the following two months, S. boulardii group had a significantly lower frequency of 0.54 episodes as compared to 1.08 episodes in control group. The drug was well accepted and tolerated. There were no reports of the side effects during treatment period CONCLUSION： S. boulardii significantly reduces the frequency and duration of acute diarrhoea. The consistency of stool also improves. The drug is well-tolerated.
文摘Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that enters the environment through various anthropogenic sources, and inhibits plant growth and development. Cadmium toxicity may result from disturbance in plant metabolism as a consequence of disturbance in the uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients. Plant nutrients and Cd compete for the same transporters and, therefore, presence of Cd results in mineral nutrients deficiency. The optimization of mineral nutrients under Cd stress could reduce Cd toxicity by greater availability at the transport site resulting in reduced accumulation of Cd, and could also alleviate Cd-induced toxic effects by enhancing biochemical reactions and physiological processes in plants. In the present review the role of plant macro, micro and beneficial elements in alleviating Cd stress in crop plants is discussed.
基金supported by the Project of the 12th Five-year National Sci-Tech Support Plan of China(2011BAK12B09)China Special Project of Basic Work of Science and Technology(2011FY110100-2)
文摘Bailongjiang watershed in southern Gansu province, China, is one of the most landslide-prone regions in China, characterized by very high frequency of landslide occurrence. In order to predict the landslide occurrence, a comprehensive map of landslide susceptibility is required which may be significantly helpful in reducing loss of property and human life. In this study, an integrated model of information value method and logistic regression is proposed by using their merits at maximum and overcoming their weaknesses, which may enhance precision and accuracy of landslide susceptibility assessment. A detailed and reliable landslide inventory with 1587 landslides was prepared and randomly divided into two groups,(i) training dataset and(ii) testing dataset. Eight distinct landslide conditioning factors including lithology, slope gradient, aspect, elevation, distance to drainages,distance to faults, distance to roads and vegetation coverage were selected for landslide susceptibility mapping. The produced landslide susceptibility maps were validated by the success rate and prediction rate curves. The validation results show that the success rate and the prediction rate of the integrated model are 81.7 % and 84.6 %, respectively, which indicate that the proposed integrated method is reliable to produce an accurate landslide susceptibility map and the results may be used for landslides management and mitigation.
基金supported by University of Engineering and Technology,Lahore,faculty under research project#ORIC/102-ASRB/1288 and UTM,FRGS grant#R.J130000.7845.4F768.
文摘This work is focused on developing zinc-doped hydroxyapatite-zeolite(Zn HA-Zeo)and polycaprolactone(PCL)composite coatings on magnesium(Mg)substrate to improve the corrosion resistance and antimicrobial properties.Dip-coating technique was used to coat Zn HA-Zeo/PCL on the Mg substrate at room temperature.The samples were subjected to field emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX)and antimicrobial potential.Results demonstrated that composite coatings consist of HA,scholzite,zeolite,and PCL phases.EDX spectra indicated the presence of calcium(Ca),silicon(Si),aluminum(Al),zinc(Zn),phosphorus(P)and oxygen(O).The composite surface appeared in spherical-like microstructure on coating with thickness ranging 226-260μm.Zinc-doped HA-Zeo composite coating had a high corrosion resistance and provided sufficient protection to the Mg surface against galvanic corrosion.Doped Zn HA-Zeo coating samples exhibited superior disc inhibition by confirming antimicrobial activity against the E.coli as compared to HA-Zeo sample.Altogether these results showed that the Zn HA-Zeo coatings not only improved the corrosion resistance,but also enhanced the antimicrobial property and hence they can be used as suitable candidates for implant applications.
文摘Prunus mume Sieb.et Zucc.,P.armeniaca L.,and P.salicina L.are economically important fruit trees in temperate regions.These species are taxonomically perplexing because of shared interspecific morphological traits and variation,which are mainly attributed to hybridization.The chloroplast is cytoplasmically inherited and often used for evolutionary studies.We sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of P.mume,P.armeniaca,and P.salicina using Illumina sequencing followed by de novo assembly.The three chloroplast genomes exhibit a typical quadripartite structure with conserved genome arrangement,structure,and moderate divergence.The lengths of the genomes are 157,815,157,797,and 157,916 bp,respectively.The length of the large single-copy region(LSC)region is 86,113,86,283,and 86,122 bp,and the length of the SSC region is 18,916,18,734,and 19,028 bp;the IR region is 26,393,26,390,and 26,383 bp,respectively.Each of the three chloroplast genomes encodes 133 genes,including 94 protein-coding,31 tRNA,and eight rRNA genes.Differential gene analysis for the three species revealed that trnY-ATA is a unique gene in P.armeniaca;in contrast,the gene trnI-TAT is only present in P.mume and P.salicina,though the position of the gene in these chloroplast genomes differs.Further comparative analysis of the complete chloroplast genome sequences revealed that the ORF genes and the sequences of linked regions rps16 and atpA,atpH and atpI,trnc-GCA and psbD,ycf3 and atpB,and rpL32 and ndhD are significantly different and may be used as molecular markers in taxonomic studies.Phylogenetic evolution analysis of the three species suggests that P.mume has a closer genetic relationship to P.armeniaca than to P.salicina.
基金funded by the Poultry CRC,established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program.Poultry CRC,PO Box U242,University of New England,Armidale,NSW 2351,Australia(project number1.5.6)
文摘Semi-intensive free-range farm systems are common in Australia, and these systems frequently practise on-range feeding. The objective of this study was to investigate the benefit of on-range choice feeding on flock performance, egg quality, and range use of free-range laying hens using black soldier fly larvae(Hermetia illucens, BSF). A total of 160 mature ISA brown laying hens, previously determined to range daily, were allocated to a control group(control) or a treatment group(BSF) with various replicates depending on the parameter investigated. All hens were fed ad libitum indoors with a wheat-soy based diet formulated according to breed requirements. Black soldier fly hens were offered dried BSF larvae ad libitum on the range. Body weight, feed intake, BSF intake, egg production, feed conversion ratio, internal and external egg quality parameters, and individual range use using radio-frequency identification(RFID)technology was evaluated. Black soldier fly hens consumed on average 15 ± 1.7 g BSF larvae/hen per day.There were no differences between BSF and control hens for any of the performance parameters obtained(P > 0.05). Egg weight, shell weight, and shell thickness of eggs from BSF hens were significantly lower(P = 0.003, P = 0.001, and P = 0.004, respectively) than those of eggs from control hens. Egg yolk colour was significantly paler in eggs from BSF hens(P < 0.001). No significant ranging differences between the BSF and control hens were observed(P > 0.05) except for BSF hens showing longer total maximum time for a single visit to the range(P = 0.011). In conclusion, the average intake of BSF larvae indicated a good level of acceptance. Feed formulation should be adjusted for the intake of the choice fed source. The impact of choice-feeding on range use was minor.
文摘AIM:To investigate whether the iron stores regulator hepcidin is implicated in colon cancer-associated anae- mia and whether it might have a role in colorectal car- cinogenesis. METHODS: Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS and SELDI-TOF MS) was employed to measure hepcidin in urine collected from 56 patients with colorectal cancer. Quantitative Real Time RT-PCR was utilised to determine hepcidin mRNA expression in colorectal cancer tissue. Hepcidin cellular localisation was determined using im- munohistochemistry. RESULTS: We demonstrate that whilst urinary hepcidin expression was not correlated with anaemia it was posi- tively associated with increasing T-stage of colorectal cancer (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we report that hepcidin mRNA is expressed in 34% of colorectal cancer tissue specimens and was correlated with ferroportin repres- sion. This was supported by hepcidin immunoreactivity in colorectal cancer tissue. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that systemic hepcidin expression is unlikely to be the cause of the systemic anaemia associated with colorectal cancer. However, we demonstrate for the first time that hepcidin is expressed by colorectal cancer tissue and that this may represent a novel oncogenic signalling mechanism.
基金supported by the University Grant Commission,New Delhi,India,under Special Assistance Program (SAP) to the Department of Petroleum Engineering,Indian School of Mines,Dhanbad,India.
文摘The formation and dissociation of methane gas hydrate at an interface between synthetic seawater （SSW） and methane gas have been experimentally investigated in the present work. The amount of gas consumed during hydrate formation has been calculated using the real gas equation. Induction time for the formation of hydrate is found to depend on the degree of subcooling. All the experiments were conducted in quiescent system with initial cell pressure of 11.14 MPa. Salinity effects on the onset pressure and temperature of hydrate formation are also observed. The dissociation enthalpies of methane hydrate in synthetic seawater were determined by Clausius-Clapeyron equation based on the measured phase equilibrium data. The dissociation data have been analyzed by existing models and compared with the reported data.
文摘Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic mani-festation of metabolic syndrome. The spread of obesity worldwide in pandemic proportions has led to a rapid rise of NAFLD in developed and developing countries alike. There are no approved pharmacological agents to treat steatohepatitis or advanced fibrosis but obeticholic acid recently has shown some promise in phase III trial. Currently, NAFLD is the number one etiology for simultaneous liver and kidney trans-plantation in the USA, second most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) and projected to become number one very soon. LT for NAFLD poses unique challenges, as these patients are generally older, obese and more likely to have a number of metabolic risk factors. Bariatric surgery is an option and can be considered if a structured weight loss program does not achieve the sustained weight loss goal. Comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment and aggres-sive management of comorbid conditions are crucial in the LT evaluation process to improve post-transplant survival. Re-current nonalcoholic steatohepatitis after LT is not uncom-mon, and thus warrants primary and secondary prevention strategies through a multidisciplinary approach. Prevalence of NAFLD in a donor population is a unique and growing concern that limits the access to quality liver grafts.
基金Project (No. 2004C32047)supported by the Department of Scienceand Technology of Zhejiang Province, China
文摘Vaccines require optimal adjuvants including immunopotentiator and delivery systems to offer long term protection from infectious diseases in animals and man. Initially it was believed that adjuvants are responsible for promoting strong and sustainable antibody responses. Now it has been shown that adjuvants influence the isotype and avidity of antibody and also affect the properties of cell-mediated immunity. Mostly oil emulsions, lipopolysaccharides, polymers, saponins, liposomes, cytokines, ISCOMs (immunostimulating complexes), Freund’s complete adjuvant, Freund’s incomplete adjuvant, alums, bacterial toxins etc., are common adjuvants under investigation. Saponin based adjuvants have the ability to stimulate the cell mediated immune system as well as to enhance antibody production and have the advantage that only a low dose is needed for adjuvant activity. In the present study the importance of adjuvants, their role and the effect of saponin in immune system is reviewed.
基金Biotechnology Research Institute,University Malaysia Sabah,Malaysia for financial support of this entire work
文摘Objective:To detect the in vitro total phenolics,flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity of essential oil,various organic extracts from the leaves of tropical medicinal plant Tetrastigma from Sabah.Methods:The dry powder leaves of Tetrastigma were extracted with different organic solvent such as hexane.ethyl acetate,chloroform,butanol and aqueous methanol.The total phenolic and total flavonoids contents of the essential oil and various organic extracts such as hexane,ethyl acetate,chloroform,butanol and aqueous ethanol were determined by Folin-Ciocalteu method and the assayed antioxidant activity was determined in vitro models such as antioxidant capacity by radical scavenging activity usingα,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method.Results:The total phenolic contents of the essential oil and different extracts as gallic acid equivalents were found to be highest in methanol extract(386.22 mg/g) followed by ethyl acetate(190.89 mg/g).chloroform(175.89 mg/g).hexane(173.44 mg/g).and Imtanol extract (131.72 mg/g) and the phenolic contents not detected in essential oil.The antioxidant capacity of the essential oil and different extracts as ascorbic acid standard was in the order of methanol extract】ethyl acetate extract】chloroform】butanol】hexane extract also the antioxidant activity was not detected in essential oil.Conclusions:The findings show that the extent of antioxidant activity of the essential oil and all extracts are in accordance with the amount of phenolics present in that extract.Leaves of Tetrastigma being rich in phenolics may provide a good source of antioxidant.
基金financially supported by National R&D Program of China (No. 2016YFB0100301)
文摘A high-energy-density Li-ion battery with excellent rate capability and long cycle life was fabricated with a Ni-rich layered LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 cathode and Si O-C composite anode. The LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_2 and Si O-C exhibited excellent electrochemical performance in both half and full cells. Specifically, when integrated into a full cell configuration, a high energy density(280 Wh·kg^(-1)) with excellent rate capability and long cycle life was attained. At 0.5 C, the full cell retained 80% of its initial capacity after 200 charge/discharge cycles, and 60% after 600 cycles, indicating robust structural tolerance for the repeated insertion/extraction of Li^+ ions. The rate performance showed that, at high rate of 1 C and 2 C, 96.8% and 93% of the initial capacity were retained, respectively. The results demonstrate strong potential for the development of high energy density Li-ion batteries for practical applications.
